HERTFORD COUNTY, N.C. (WAVY) — A prayer vigil was held Friday afternoon to stand against the ICE processing center coming to Hertford County, North Carolina.

Dozens of residents, members of activist groups and people directly impacted showed up in Hertford County to make their voices heard.

"When we saw him, he couldn't talk," said Durham resident Analy Trejo Ricano. "He had tubes in his mouth, and he was in a coma state. So I didn't get to hear his last words."

Ricano said her brother Prisciliano died from acute leukemia after being in ICE custody for about a month earlier this summer.

She said her brother's medical needs were neglected, which she believes caused his death.

"I spent literally my whole life being with him, having memories, and he was taken away from me, and I could not hear anything," Ricano said. "I couldn't hear what he was feeling, his thoughts, and it just hurts me so bad just to think about all of this, and that other people can be affected by this. My voice is the only thing I have right now,"

She was one of many who traveled from near and far to attend a prayer vigil in protest of a new immigration processing center that is coming to Hertford County.

It will replace Rivers Correctional Institution.

This facility has stirred up a lot of controversy in the rural area. Some are appreciative of the possibility of it bringing in more jobs, but others worried about the impact it will have on the immigrant community.

"This vigil was really to not only raise awareness about what's happening, because unfortunately a lot of people haven't been aware of what's happening, but also to just create a safe space for people to come forward with their concerns, and also just to gather together in unity against this system of oppression that's coming," said Allison Dye, an organizer with the Cultivator and Stop Detention Centers NC.

Several groups were involved in organizing the event including North Carolina Council of Churches, Democracy Out Loud, Fuerza Triad NC, The Workers Circle, Durham Congregations in Action, Engaged Defenders for Democracy, NC Stop Torture Now, Unitarian Universalist Justice Ministry of NC, NC Peace Action, Muslims for Social Justice, AMEXCAN, BRAVA NC, Piedmont Triad DSA, MomsRising/MamásconPoder, Greensboro NC Interfaith Immigrant Justice Coalition.

Speakers shared experiences, prayed, sang and also read off the names of those that have been lost to ICE.

They also caravanned over to the future facility to protest outside its doors after the vigil wrapped up.

"The heart of this was really to gather like-minded individuals and create that safe space to say, 'you know what, we are not the only ones that feel this way.' We're going to continue to stand against it, and we're not doing that alone," Dye said.

10 On Your Side has reached out to the Department of Homeland Security in response to Friday's event and we are waiting to hear back.

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